Herring Island Summer Arts Festival began in 2006 as a collaboration between the exhibiting arts groups, Parks Victoria and the Friends of Herring Island.

This followed the work of Maudie Palmer who, as curator of the Herring Island Environmental Sculpture Park, established the permanent collection of artworks on the island and ran art exhibitions in the renovated scout hall.

In 2025 the festival featured exhibitions Association of Sculptors of Victoria “Sculpture in Place”, Artists’ Showcase and A4Art Australia (an initiative of the Contemporary Art Society Vic Inc.).